Lawmakers advance new Liquor License Reform Bill, Monday vote possible
As per Gov. Phil Murphy’s request, this new bill will also create new liquor licenses for malls and help revive the 1,400 inactive licenses currently in the state.
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Relief may finally be coming to craft breweries in New Jersey as a new bill will likely be sent for a vote in Trenton, rolling back many of those restrictions.
The new version of the alcohol reform bill cleared the state Senate and state Assembly committees on Thursday. Lawmakers could vote on the Liquor License Reform Bill this upcoming Monday.
As per Gov. Phil Murphy’s request, this new bill will also create new liquor licenses for malls and help revive the 1,400 inactive licenses currently in the state.
"The headline for the breweries should be predictability. Finally in black and white in statute we are going to know what a brewery can and can’t do on a daily basis," said Eric Orlando, the executive director of the Brewers Guild of New Jersey.
Hopes of a compromise were crushed this fall when Murphy vetoed the bill because he wanted more sweeping liquor reform attached to the craft brewery bill.
"It's going to be nice to actually know what direction we're heading in, have a little bit of peace and we are able to run our business the way that we need to run it," said Will Grundmann, owner of Twin Lights Brewing in Tinton Falls.
Those restrictions would permanently be lifted on craft breweries immediately following a signature by the governor.
